A tiny village on a reef that fishermen chose to protect, and that rewarded them with one of the richest seas in the Gulf of California.
Cabo Pulmo is a village of around a hundred people on the East Cape, two hours north of San José del Cabo, beside the only hard coral reef in the Gulf of California.
By the 1990s, overfishing had emptied the reef. Local families pushed for protection, and in 1995 the area became a national park with fishing banned. Over the following years the fish came back in enormous numbers, and the park is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Today the village lives from diving and snorkelling. Expect schools of jacks, groupers, rays, sea lions at the colony, green turtles grazing on the reef in the afternoon, and in winter, mobula rays leaping clear of the water.
It's simple and remote: no ATM, no fuel and a few small restaurants and cabañas.
Leave early and fill up before you go.
Leave San José with a full tank and cash for the day.
Divers and snorkellers go out with licensed local operators.
Two dives or a snorkel tour over the reef fingers and the sea lion colony.
Fish tacos at a beach cabaña in the village.
Snorkel again in the afternoon, when the turtles graze, or stay the night under the stars.
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Drive north via Highway 1 or the coastal road; the last stretch is dirt. Day tours also run from Cabo.
Snorkelling and diving are only allowed with registered operators; pay the park fee.
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